1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to catalysts for synthesizing hydrocarbons such as butane etc. by hydrogenation of carbon monoxide.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, as the aforesaid catalysts for hydrocarbon synthesis employed on a commercial scale, there have been used the so-called Fischer-Tropsch synthetic catalysts, i.e., catalysts of nickel, cobalt, iron etc. supported on porous carriers or supports of e.g. silica, alumina, kieselguhr etc.
However, even such conventional catalysts can never be catalysts having satisfactory activity; for example, carbon deposits on a surface of the catalyst during the hydrocarbon synthetic process and the catalytic activity decreases.
In particular, C.sub.5.sup.+ (liquid hydrocarbons) which consist of 5 or more carbon atoms are useful as petroleum fuels, but catalysts having high activity for use in the synthesis of such liquid hydrocarbons have not yet been developed.